0750. Satan's First Strategy–Seen in the Parable of the Sower

Satan’s First Strategy–Seen in the Parable of the Sower

"Then cometh the wicked one" (Mat_13:19).

The parable of the sower is familiar to all Bible readers. Christ is the sower, the field is the world, the seed (in Matthew’s Gospel) is the believer to whom God has committed the Gospel of the Kingdom.

The purport of the parable is to establish satan’s tactics in hindering fruit-bearing.

The parable discovers for us, a threefold strategy:

1. There is the sowing of the seed by the wayside.

2. There is the sowing of the seed on the stony places.

3. There is the sowing of the seed amid the thorns.

The seed sown by the wayside became unfruitful because the birds of the air, who are designated as the children of the wicked one, came down and caught away the seed.

The seed sown upon the stony ground, became unfruitful because there was no depth of soil, and a hot sun, suggestive of persecution, withered the plant.

The seed sown among the thorns became unfruitful because the thorns sprang up and choked it. The thorns are the deceitfulness of riches, and the cares and pleasures of the world.

The sad result of satan’s tactics is seen in the fact that in the parable of four distinctive sowings, only one, the fourth, which was sown upon good ground, bore fruit.

The greatest victory which satan exerts today among the truly saved is his successful effort in holding Christians back from giving a clean, clear and powerful testimony for their Lord.

With one, satan merely snatches away the Word.

With another, satan resorts to persecution and the believer, unwilling to pay the price, hold’s back his testimony.

With still another, the believer becomes so engulfed with the cares of business, or the follies of pleasure, that he finds no time and no heart to scatter the Gospel seed.

In the early days, the disciples went everywhere preaching the Word. They went from house to house. Their testimony could not be stopped.

The result was, that, within the first century, the story of Jesus Christ had covered the known world and thousands and tens of thousands had gladly received the message of truth.

Following that day, however, there came a day when the Church lapsed from its testimony. Within the last century or two, there has been a wonderful awakening on the part of the true Church; the missionary message has been pressed to the uttermost parts of the earth. Yet, with this awakening, there has been, on the part of the professing church, a marked turning away from the old-time life of separation and Godliness.

The church today, as a whole, has succumbed to satan’s tactics and has laid down its testimony.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR